ISL: FC Goa aim to continue winning streak as they take on in-form Mumbai City FC

Overcoming unpredicted obstacles helps champion sides reiterate their credentials. The first half of the current campaign of the Islanders has seen a large part of the focus being on their AFC Champions League run.

However, since they are done with the continental championship now, they can slowly get back in the groove in the Indian top tier. They didn't take too much time to hit the ground running last week, hitting four goals past Bengaluru FC to show that they will continue to play the way symbolic with them despite the change in guards at the top.

FC Goa, on the other hand, comfortably sits at the top of the table with 19 points from six victories and a draw in seven matches. They have barely put a foot wrong so far and will present a fitting challenge in front of the in-form Islanders. Marquez always relished his contests with Mumbai City FC during his stint with Hyderabad FC, and he will be keen to take them on in his new avatar with the Gaurs, who have not won in any of their last eight games against the incumbent League Winners Shield holders.

The Gaurs have endured a somewhat dreamy start to the season and they must ensure that they can extend this purple patch for as long as possible. In all fairness, Marquez has a wholesome grasp over what he is doing. Right from the recruitment to the implementation of the playing style, the seasoned tactician has hit the sweet spot in all concerned areas thus far. They can strike two targets with one arrow on the back of a possible win in the coming encounter.

Mumbai City FC would have taken incredible confidence from their previous outing, and the arrival of Kratky should make them buoyant with belief at the moment. They seem to have shooed away concerns regarding their form at the Asian stage to sustain their stronghold in the ISL. The Islanders, as a club, have grown exponentially in stature lately.

Mumbai City have made 39.2 successful long passes per game in the current ISL season, which is the highest amongst all teams in the league.

"It's (ISL) very similar to the A-League, which will make the transition much smoother for me. I am looking forward to the game. We have had a conversation about what we can expect from FC Goa because they are a top team. I am actually excited and looking forward to seeing where the team is at against the best, so that we can go from here about how we can adapt and make everything work," Mumbai City FC head coach Petr Kratky said in the pre-match press conference.

"We are focusing on tomorrow's match, but it's true that the feeling is that we will see in two games where FC Goa can arrive in this season. I am optimistic about this situation, but obviously, we are still unbeaten in the competition. My experience in ISL is that if you win all the other games, because one day we will lose, it's very difficult to not lose in the 22 games, but we will try that our first defeat won't be tomorrow," FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez mentioned. (ANI)